Cotton-picking machine



Feb. 16, 1954 A. w. wEEMs ErAL COTTON-PICHING MACHINE 10 Sheets-Sheet l Filed July l2. 1949 BY www,

ATTGRN'EYS Feb. 16, 1954 A. W. WEEMS ETAL COTTON-PICKING MACHINE 10 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 16, 1954 A. w. wEEMs ETAL coTToN-PcKING MACHINE 10 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 12, 1949 LLL T..

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'CIIIIIL- Feb. 16, 1954 A w, WEEMS ETAL 2,669,081

COTTON-PICKING MACHINE Filed July 12. 1949 1o sheets-sheet 4' 7114 ATToRNE/s Feb. 16, 1954 A. w. WEI-:Ms ETAL COTTON-PICKINGl MACHINE l0 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July l2, 1949 Cwfw .\()x SMM ls w, n 1 mii H wa m .lmnl Ir.. {LmwMm muy W76 M m mm2. m i@ Q wm F m M 9 9L 1 Inh! A i .V ah. y, m, no 1 3 Hill 2 Feb 16, 1954 A. WW1-:EMS ET A1. 2,669,081

COTTON-PICKING MACHINE Filed July 12, 1949 1o sheets-sheet e ATTORNEYS Feb 16, 1954 A. w. wEEMs r-:TAL

C'oTToN-PICKING MACHINE 10 Sheets-Sheet '7 Filed July l2. 1949 ATTO R N EYS Feb. 16, 1954 A. w. wEEMs ET AL 2,669,081

COTTON-PICKING MACHINE Filed July 12, 1949 10 Sheets-Sheet 8 .15. f Jrg lll",

ATTORNEYS,

Feb. 16, 1954 A. w. WEI-:Ms ETAL coTToN-PICXING MACHINE l0 Sheets-Sheet 9 Filed July 12. 1949 l/a ef. @Jeff/@1067 ATTORNEYS.

Feb. 16, 1954 A. w. wl-:EMs ETAL COTTON-PICKING MACHINE 10 Sheets-Sheet l0 Filed July l2, 1949 e/@ f ff0fe INVENT Eil/,v6 d.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Feb. 16, 1954 OFFICE COTTON-PICKING MACHINE Albert W. Weems and Sterling J. Weems Meridian, Miss.

Application July 12, 1949, Serial No. 104,338

This invention is a cotton picking machine wherein a spindle carrier frame rotates about a vertical axis, which frame carries successive vertical rows of rapidly rotating horizontally positioned spindles. As the machine moves along the row of cotton plants, successive columns of spindles are successively projected into and through the cotton plant, each spindle picking up its load of cotton, the spindles then being withdrawn from the cotton plant in such a fashion as not to create a drag on the stalks of the plant.

The principal features and objects of the invention are these:

1. To provide a cotton picking machine comprising a series of vertical columns of spindles, the several spindle columns travelling unidirectionally in a continuous circular path; at the same time that the spindle columns are travelling in such circular path, they are roscillated back and forth. In the preferred arrangement, there are seven columns of spindles, and the described oscillation is through an angle of about 170, although the invention is not to be limited to any particular number of spindle columns or to an oscillation of 170.

2. To provide a drive for the spindle carrier and for the spindles which will drive the carrier and spindles at any desired speed, independent of the speed of travel of the machine along-the ground. In other words, the spindle carrier and spindles are not geared to the ground but are driven, as by a separate motor, for example, so that the speed of the spindle carrier and the spindles can be controlled by varying the speed of the motor, or by providing any convenient type of change speed gear between the motor and the spindle carrier, or both. The speed of operation of the spindles may therefore be set for most efficient operation in accordance with the density of the cotton on the plants. Furthermore, slippage of the ground wheels would not affect the speed of operation of the spindles. Under some conditions, however, the separate motor could be dispensed with.

3. As the rotating spindles go into and through the plant, each will pick up a load or charge of cotton, with the tendency for much of the cotton to be collected toward the outer end of the spindle.V In order better to distribute the load of cotton along the spindle, the side of the picking chamber opposite the spindles is provided with a series of spaced parallel horizontally positioned guard plates, which define between them spaces of such a size that as the loaded spindles are 17 Claims. (Cl. 56-47) 2 moved toward and between such plates, they offer a slight resistance so that the cotton bolls are not pushed or bounced aside by the spindles, but instead are more efficiently stripped by the spindles. Furthermore, these guard plates hold the bolls in the picking chamber until the spindles come along into engagement therewith. The edges of the guard plates and shoulders within the guard plates act to push the charge of cotton back from the tips and toward the middle and base of each spindle, and aid in wrapping the cotton more tightly on the spindle. The use of these spaced guard plates has been found to increase the eiiiciency of the picking operation and also makes it possible to utilize a very long spindle. A long spindle is valuable, because it picks up a larger volume of cotton, and so a fewer number of spindles may be used. 'Ihe distribution of the cotton along the spindles tends to expose any trash carried by the cotton and the centrifugal force of the spinning spindle acts to throw off this trash and give a cleaner pick. 4. To control the path of movement of the spindles so that as the machine travels along the row of plants, the spindles are projected into the picking chamber, into and through the plants, the spindles being pointed in a slightly backward direction as the spindles go into the plant, this angle gradually changing to a slightly forward direction as the loaded spindles leave the plant, whereby there is no drag on the plant and a minimum of defoliation and breaking of the plant twigs, thereby giving a cleaner pick of cotton. This motion covers the entire plant area in the picking chamber without a raking action which would knock off the green bolls. This change of angle from a backward angle as the spindles enter the picking chamber, to a forward angle as they leave the chamber, is important, in that the relative angle between the spindles in two adjacent columns is like the angle between the legs of the letter A, this divergence serving to spread the plant so as to expose all portions thereof to the spindles. As the spindles leave the picking chamber, strippers start to move from the base of the spindles outwardly to begin the stripping operation, these strippers acting to give a rolling effect to the cotton as it is pushed off the spindles and at the same time that this is taking place, the spindles are moved between horizontal wires or rods acting as a guard to keep the plants out of the stripping area and for screening and removing trash from the cotton. The spindles are then given a rapid whirl through a fairly large arc, the centrifugal effect of which 3 is supplemented by the outward movementl of Fig. 10 is a horizontal cross-section taken on the strippers to strip-off the charges of cotton line lll- IG of Fig. 2, showing the driving means collected by the spindles, the cleaned spindles for the spindle gears;

continuing around uni-directionally to repeat the Fig. 1l is a horizontal cross-section taken on cycle. 5 the line II-II of Fig. 2 further amplifying the 5. The machine is provided With the usual regear drive for the spindles;

stricted throat or tunnel for forming the plants Fig. 12 is a fragmentary perspective view of a and bolls into a more compact mass ociated stripper means. 12a ing them ir'it'oth p07V n 1s "pe 1sfpecti secnection, thisfinveritih provides antio of fa pla-tenter 'clearingetlrehloyver i-camr-track. feeder for engaging the approximate mid-portion Fig. 12b is a section on line Mib-i219 oi Fig. 12a; of the plants, this stalk feeder comprising a Fig 13 is a fragmentary elevation with parts plurality of horizontal rods arranged .Q naaai/1,ayffand shown in section of a portion of the other, operating successively, whiclra a piridlaidstripper; jected outwardly into4 engagement miththegm i ifcomposite vertical-section taken dle part of the plant and then by a novel mechan` ppr imately on the line lil-M of Fig. 6, and ical movement to be described at the ho lein indicates three banks of pushing the middle portion oi th e et'stages of picking; throat oi the picking chamber. Such a feed-inge i" `v1s a view similar to Fig. 14 showing the 0f the plant increases the elVTGenCy 0f the picking 20 beginning of the stripping? action at a stage, in

f littlezempref f el completioniV inn and str1ppe n provided with' eetcrnetaluguides l=4',whic

, ingi them-tinto fthexpicki'ng Y Qntof: theimachine; just: above' 'dadi with heavy-reen s. l, 2fand;3,for;;

Jus ahead ithene .cnt`

111 .Connectlom it iatoiftunnel... i5 .isffa ...l

ton plants.

plurality of rods I8, about four in'number, which have a novel compound movement for engaging and pushing the approximate middle portions of the stalks into tunnel I5. Each rod I8, see Figs. 1, 3, 5 and 6, is pivoted to one end of a crank arm 20, the four crank arms being driven by a continuously rotating vertical shaft 22 driven by sprocket 24. Each rod I8 passes slidably through a hole in a fixedgude block 26, which block acts as a fulcrum, each rod then passing through an individual guide slot 28 in the left tunnel member I4, Fig. 3. The continuously rotating crank arms are about 90 apart.

The operation of these arms I8 is as follows: As the cranks rotate clockwise, Fig. 6, rod I8 moves from its full line position to position Ia and then slides and pivots in block to assume successive positions I8b, |80, Id and I8e. In position I8a, the rod is moving toward the cot- It then moves into the plant, reaching beyond the main stem, and then as it moves to successive positions, pushes the plants along and into the tunnel I5, bending them somewhat, but not breaking them, and drawing the more fragile upper portions of the plant into the tunnel and pushing them toward and into the picking chamber P, Fig. 6. After the rod gets to I 8e, it is withdrawn from the tunnel; byvthis time, the next rod I8 has arrived at position I8a, so that there is a steady and continuous succession of rods feeding the plants into tunnel I 5 and into the picking chamber P. These rods, as noted, engage only thel mid-portions of the plants and increase the eiciency of the machine by lessening breakage of the cotton plants and by guiding, bunching and moving the plants into the picking chamber.

More particularly, and referring to Fig. 4, there is a tendency of the top edge I5 of the tunnel I5 to bend the entire plant, thus lowering and concentrating the lower branches into the bottom of the picking chamber. Bending of the upper part of the plant is desirable to bring the upper branches within range of the spindles, but bending of the lower branches, which carry more bolls, is undesirable, and the rods `I8 prevent too much bending of the lower portion of the stalk. This gives a more even distribution of the cotton bolls in the picking chamber.

Picking the cotton from the plants vertical sets or columns of horizontally posif tioned spindles, which rotate preferably at speeds between 150G-2500` R. P. M. The columns of spindles travel in a circular path about a ver tical axis; as they enter the picking chamber the spindles are inclined backwardly and as they progress through the chamber, their angle is gradually changed to a forward direction, so that the spindles enter and leave the plant with a minimum of drag on the plant, which means less breakage of the plant and a minimum of defoliation.

The spindle carrier assembly, designated gen erally at C, Fig. '1, comprises a vertical shaft 30, driven clockwise, Fig. 1, by shaft 3I keyed thereto, and gears 32 and 32', sprocket wheel 33 and chain 34. Gear, 32 is on shaft 32a., and the gears 32 and 32 are enclosed in the gear housing 35.

Shaft carries lowerand upper main supporting or carrier plates 36 and 38. Positioned between carrier plates 36 and 38 is a plurality of spindle carrying columns 4U, seven of suchv columns being preferable. The invention, how= ever, is not restricted to this number of columns. Each column is supported at its upper end by a fairly heavy oscillatable control bracket 42, approximately U-shaped. The upper arm 43 of this bracket is supported by bolts 44, which in turn pass through a spur gear 45, this gear having a downwardly extending collar 45 passing loosely through opening 46 in a fixed plate 41. Plate 41 is secured to and mounted in spaced relation above plate 38 by a seriesl of peripherally placed bolts or studs 49.

Each spindle column 40 carries `a plurality of spindles 50; the base of each spindle is provided with a bearing 5I,'Fig. 19, and witha spur ygear 52 secured thereto and held in place by collar 53. lubricant containing housing 54, preferably formed as part of column 40, oil retaining collars 55 being pro-vided at either end. Each spindle is cruciform in cross-section, as shown in Figs. 12 and 13, and is provided with one or more serrated members or edges 56, on opposite sides, with the `teeth or points directed toward the tip of the from. the uppermost spindle, which is provided.

With bevel gears 60, Figf, meshing with bevel gear 6I, secured to the lower end of shaft 52. Shaft 62 carries spur gears t3, which is driven by large gear 64. Gear 64 has. a sleeve 65 extending upwardly, to which is ksecured sprocket 66, driven counterclockwise by chain 61. Gears 60, 6I and cooperating parts are enclosed in an upper enlarged portion 54 of housing 54, 54

being vsecured to the lower arm of bracket 42. y

Gears 63 are enclosed in a protective sheet metal housing 63, Fig. 10.

Each column 40 of spindles, Fig. 7, travels in a circular path, being carried by shaft 30 and plates 36 and 38 as described. The spindles are also simultaneously voscillated back and forth in a horizontal plane, about the axis of upper shaft 62 and'lower coaxial stud 68, pivoted in lower plate 35. To effect this oscillation, each spur gear 45, connected through bracket 42 with each spindle column 4B, meshes with and is oscillated back and forth by its respective geared rack 10, Figs. 'I and 9. Each rack is slidably mounted in an open-ended radially extending guideway 1I, having a slot 12 in the top thereof; each guideway 1I is secured to plate 41 by bolts 13. f

Inorder to reciprocate the racks 10 in their housings, each rack is provided with a stud 14 which extends upwardly through slot 12; the top of each stud 14 is provided with a roller 15 journaled thereon.

The several rollers 15 engage in an upper fixed cam track 16, Figs. 1 and 7, in the form of an inverted U. Cam track 15 is so shaped as to move studs 15 and their respective geared racks 10 radially inwardly and outwardly in the direction of slot 12, thereby oscillating gears 45, bracket 42 and the corresponding spindle column 4U.

The base of each spindle is journaled in a gamona@ ard-lyfproiecting? fQrmed aaemosi Movemenffef the spindles*- InftheA particular 1 machine here illustrated therefare conveniently seven columns'o'f spindles with twelve spindles 'ina column, `althcugh',: of course, the invention" is not -limitedrto these pre# cis'el valuesf' These spindles 4have la 'combined movement, which is thefresu'ltant of their'rotate ing- 'continuously about the Yvertical'a'xis'- '3D land of being simultaneously's'wung back-and' forth by the gearedracks `lll through van f angle' of about 170." Successive positions ofthe spindlesfat varA ious points'in their travell yareshown in FigsjA 9, 10,- 17 and=20.

Referringto Figs; 9 and" 10,-*tlf1e'pickingL cham-1 ber'I 11 may beconsidered fatftheft'op of ithe-iigure while in Fig.'17 the picking chamber? extendsto the-dotted' line r representing the-positionof the inner shoulders |107 vof the-distributor plates.

Referring" to Fig.- 17, the spindle at the rightin position |-a-is atits pointof maximu-m loutward travel in thepicking chamber and as it leaves the picking-chamber i-t assumes successive'positions Ib; lc,A and id; A

The-next-spindleis advancing into'the picking chamber and its successive positions are indicated -at 2li/521), 2c, 2d; 2e, 2f, 2g,- -2h and 2i. -The center line of travel of the tip of thisspindle is shown bythe broken'line 0.

The next spindle is shown-entering the picking chamber-atb-,and its successive positions lare shown at 3c, 3d, 3e, 3f, 3g,'3h, 3i and 37,the kcenter line of the spindle tip being indicated bybroken line ||2.

The next spindle'is shown entering the picking chamber at 4c, its 'successive positions' being indicated a-t 4d, 4e, lfjdgfdh/i and 47'.

The next spindle' is sho'wn'entering' the chainberat 5g; its' successive positions being'indicated at Sand 5i. 4 A

Corresponding smallletters in thel'abovade scriptionrepresent"corresponding positionsof the indicatedspindles'fat'a 'givenftii'nc.A That Ais to say, 1|cZ,= 2d, '3d-,- fand Adrep'resentl the fpositionsof the 'corresponding' spindles 'atta lgiven*instant Also, 2g,.f3g,"4g fand'g represent the correspond# ing positionsl yof-` the' spindles at a given inst'antf Referring-to vFig.--17, it will be noted-that as a particular-'spindle enters the picking chamber,Y the machine traveling in the directionfof the arrow, the spindle is pointed slightlyfbackwardly and then as the machine'moves along, the spindle is projected more andmore' into 'and through the plants. The angles VAof theV spindles' gradul' ally cllafifga` as' already de'scribed',"`so" that as: a spindle leaves the'picking 'ch'amberit is pointed' slightly `forwardly, vasjsh'own' atthe right of lFig'. 17.' 'To illustrate' this feature in more v ;l'etail;` con' siderspindle positions'Be and'2egFi'gJ-l7'.' The spindles in these two columns diverge,"somewhat like: the'legs ofthe letter IA, "and this v'divergence' serves'to spread the cotton' Stalks'and's'o enables theA spindles 'to'reach all the bolls. y y

TheV close proximity' of thespindles as they move in succession intoy and throughthe picking chamber enables the" spindles to -reach "alll portions of the plants; this is followedbythe-spreading action of-the spindles on'thefplants dueto the divergent positionsV between 4adjacent col` umnsof I spindles just lasf-the 'spindles are` leaving thepicking chamber,Y as fijust described; Ethis stillf further aids the spindles'in reaching all portions of 'the-plant. With 1' th'e' describedmethodl of operation, the spindles'fworkf eflicientl-y; :covert-alli portions? of the' Jplanta and enterand'Qteave:y they plants witna minimum of f-dragon themyand withfa minimum of breakage fand'defoliationz In `Fig." 2O,l"'the vario1is2 angular' valuesA there shown, such a's'95"`,115,200; etc., in eachl case represent'vthe'angle betweenethe spindle column at lthat 'position',and its -radial axis.

In Figi" 20j-th*spindle, asiit moves `from position "-i`,V goes*- to `position -"T,""marked- 265-, Ythis Position*"T"representing the 170 maximum swing from fpositionf a' a'.t"95"l to position T at *265% thediier'ence" between these angular positions '265 fand 9'5* being '--170.`

TheV stripping operation After theloaded spindle'sdeave the picking chamber2 and -haverpassed=`between the grating formedfby the1rods|03, they are :swung rapidly clockwise; Eigs.=.e9, 1'0 and'111, from about the posi.- tion vII to position K, as controlled by upper 1 cam track 16.4 AThisparticular':rsvving, aswell -as the other fhorizontal v1movements` of` theY spindles, is caused by thecurvatureof camiftrack 81 in cooperation with .the Aswing imparted by the spur gears IIEwwThe-'centriugakforcel of the rapid swing at this'stagecooperates-with the strippers to effectively strip thefcotton fromthe spindles as shown at'Fig. 16;V the cottomdropping into the box H5; this box is subject'tosuction, the cottonpassingl upwardly inirsucti'o'nvpipe IIB into thesuctionzsiderof blowerwllfand thence out pip'e- |2 0 finto. the-'usual'fcollecting'rcage.y

Driving'mechanism' for .the

various parts' Blower'l |8 is driven by sprocket chain |22.

The machine of thissinventio'n may be mounted ona tractor, inany convenient. manner, as by one ormoref lateral-'supports |26. Power Vfor actuating the. machine may be provided .by:a countershaft |28 driventby a power takeoff from the tractor, preferably :through a change speed gear;-`sothat any desired-4 speed may be had, independent'ofthe speed of-uthe tractor.` Instead, however," ofdrivingshaft :|28 from the tractor,

it is preferred lto 'mount-a small one. or two cylin-r der gasoline engine11|=21lat any convenient lplace andfhave suchuenginedrive the shaft |28 orfits equivalent;A Suchz: engine can beV operated at a desired speed and. connected'to -the'fdrive shaft by any desired change speed connection, so` that the picker canabef operatedat the most eicient speed, independently of the ground speed of the machine.'

Shaft"|28 drives sprocket chain |29, which drives"s`ha`ft |30; which' in turn drives sprocket l3|`for blower'chain 122. Shaft |30 also carries a 'sprocket which drives r`sprocket chain 34 'and sprocket.33"and`gearsv 32" and' 32 and shafts 3| and V3|), already'described, to drive the spindle column Fig. 57, clockwise.

Gear plate`64,"Fig. 7, is driven counterclockwise by chain 61, 'as already described. This chain 61' Vis driven by a sprocket on vertical counters'h'aft |34; Fig. 3, which in turn is driven by conventionalbevel gears in gear housing |36, such bevel-gearsbeing driven by countershaft |30, Fig. I1.`

The: stalk'feeder arms I8, I8 are driven by sprocket 24,as described. Sprocket 24 is driven by a sprocket chain24 'on-the lower end of verticallshaft |48', lFig-3, vshaft'ld being driven by sprocket chain-MZL-Figsg "5 and 7, the sprocket foi-"which is secured to and driven by collar 65, which is driven'by 61, as described.

Theirontfendof theniachine may be supported by'the support 46; 'carried by= one end Geeeedfbetween-plaies149; enclosed@ n l 50. This resilient conner;tivorlfprwidens.` aroiit@ @balance againstl bhe-weehtofthenickelf ber@- by enabling the-richer te ,be raisedffoelewered easilybymeans ofla lererfsystem fi rFieqZ; ad: iaceeithefdrivers.,Seat atirlgithreueh-- ,ulefum brackets 126:- rig.k is useful for setting Hhe achineatqaidesirei level and forvtravelin toan Yfreni `the fields.

.. Duplicationfpf :the machine# '1:.1A singleV cottonH picking machine has been'de'- scribed asfcarried byf'a tractorfand preferably driven by ua separate Agasoline wengir'e,` sof 'that thespeed"ofoperationwoff: thecottonl picle independent of V-the?` speedf ELof o'perationfT of rthe tractor; even if drivenbyl the.' tractor; `ra: convene tional change speed mechanism?cold'fbefused cooperatingY with' the power -takeo'i' iro'rhi fthe tractor. Moreover; if :idesiredf; the-'tractor could machine on'uthe opposite' side? "iTrw i. rows? f plants couldfthe'rebyrbe picked 4at"""0i1'e Aitirnef or.- one rowl coultliberv go'neoi'rer afs'ec'oindltithe;l by one v machine, while lthe'faothe'r machine' is lpickingffa new 'rows Where two" sucli machines-iare'used the spindlexcolumnsoffthe picker onfth'e'oth'er side woul-d,rotate in heropposifqedirection, and the terms clockw ad.,feounterclockwisy would be interchange pa ticularly in connecthe duplicate partsfoffthe `secondi machinef'fare inclicated`-4 by fc'orrespori'clirig-".v primedl i'irefe'rence characters; u This?Y second-ipic'ken .I could JhaveE i its own? gasoline enginez Zg'fFigs. 21 faridw'Zffor driving it; or:coulcllibeA driven by;l theii same engine used @for fidriving .'vthe? rst'. fpicker; orzco'uld' be d'rven'i'by powertalreiro means irmftlielvti'a'etor'; with tor -without'chang'e lvspeed'*gea'urs',"2 inealliioi which arrangements: thefspeed of theffpickercloiild be `varied?withrespect to the. speed'of `the' "tractor sogthatthe?pickeri'coiiltlTheLoloeratediat` a" 'p'eed most eflicientv for .the .existingc'condition is', not

ticstalks I ,n n spindles bythe 'ifi in the'joicking ch nnberf, continuously Yroi Thisyraisine or lowering 12 up for moreompl-etefa5cessflhretvby the spindies. The spindles, therefore, enter and leave therfplants with littleornoydragi oir the' zplants thereby minimizing the-breakingup and defolia-V tion' of ythe:plantsA and .givingl cleaner "pickxf :As the' spindles t'leavelv .tliepickingV chambentheypass between-the ^grating"""irotis'k |59; they-arefr then swung rapidly ybij: thefupper :cam 'track-'rib"in:` a czlockitiisev direction; "Figli 11.; from about' theposi-A tion H :to position Kyiv-At thiswstage,`- 'the stripper column as f controlled;z by the'-iipper and lower cam tracksffand; moves-fithefstrippers to the dotted*linefpositionfoifFig. x12-"tc strip 'off lthe charge of cotton from the respectivespidles',

lf? this?perationbeingaidedlby the' centrifg'al'fforce of the swing. "The" cottonfdrops'into t'hecollection box* l I 5; froxr`4 Which it is carried away by suction "to lai Collection?y cage.' 'The-spindles? con-` M tinue'ftheir clockwise" rotatibn,thefstrippers being nick/e 'backtoiihebases or! the@ spin-flieg 11i/nich contine "o a du d andreciprocate'int andout Pterepeat-the'eycl'g 'By reason''oi the :striper kplate eonstriictin Elli; "as shown in Fig. 13, the cotton is str-ippefl-'cleanly marine* s e Witheet nypefiency miam in@ stripper USQS er l om: kthe tractor. I lko'weverf a l ,el speed, ydrive ,Olfasenarate gasoline. engine drii need notbesecl and under certain,.c'orrcliz tions,these,rnay,be, dispensed, with and the pick ine mach-ine ideredirectly Airan.Mieli@me sWhilefthe invention hasibeenydescribedin considerabledetail; togethenwith mentionofr particu-- lar :dmensionalfand numerical@angular-'Valuesit should= bevunde'rsto'od v'that these detfailsfarefy illus# ti'ativef 'and'f'notfrestrictive'bff theinvent'ion; and that tneinvntior'i fa'ybe seine-les .ftoerit'erfthe*picking :chamber at? afbacki ward 'inclinatior'r with respect;to#the"ftravelffofV the machinefand'tochangefthis Sangle g'iadally'to a forward inclinationiawhereby; .adiacenticoluinns'oii ,l spindlesaexertq agvspreadingactioneon thexcottoni plants as they progress through the picking chamber.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1, further including horizontally extending, vertically spaced distributer means mounted on the side of the picking chamber opposite the spindles, for receiving loaded spindles between them and for pushing cotton collected on the spindles toward the bases thereof.

3. The combination as claimed in claim 1, further including a stripper column supported by said upper plate, strippers journaled in said stripper column and slidably mounted in said spindles, a second fixed cam track carried by the machine, and means operatively connecting said second cam track and said stripper column for causing the strippers to move back and forth on the spindles at controlled intervals.

-4'. The combination as set forth in claim 3, further including horizontally extending, vertically spaced distributer means mounted on the vside of the picking chamber opposite the spindles, for receiving loaded spindles between them and for pushing cotton collected on the spindles .toward the bases thereof.

5. A cotton picking machine, comprising a picking chamber, a rotatable vertical shaft, upper and lower' supporting plates carried by said shaft, a plurality of vertically positioned spindle columns pivotally mounted on vertical axes between said plates, and spaced around said shaft at regular intervals, rotatably mounted spindles carried by said spindle columns, gears carried by the spindle column for rotating said spindles, means for rotating said shaft and said plates and the spindle columns carried thereby in a 360 unidirectional path, geared means supported above said upper plate and operatively connected to each offsaid spindle columns for oscillating said spindle columns and the spindles carried thereby back and forth about their respective vertical axes, a fixed cam track carried by the machine, and cam means operatively connecting said cam track and said geared means for effecting said back and forth movement of said spindle columns.

6. The combination as set forth in claim 5, further including a third plate supported by and above said upper plate and movable therewith, said third plate serving to support said geared means for oscillating the spindle columns, a xed cam track carried by the machine, and cam means operatively connecting said geared means and said fixed cam track for effecting said oscillatory movement of the spindle columns about their respective vertical axes.

7. A cotton picking machine, comprising a rotatable vertical shaft, upper and lower supporting plates fixed to said shaft, a plurality of vertically positioned spindle columns pivotally mounted on vertical axes between said plates, and spaced around said shaft at regular intervals, rotatably mounted spindles carried by said spindle column, gears carried by the spindle column for rotating said spindles, means for rotating said shaft and said plates and spindle columns carried thereby-in a 360 circular path, a gear wheel operatively connected with each spindle column, a geared rack operatively connected with each gear wheel, said gear Wheels and racks being supported by and movable with said upper plate, a fixed cam track carried by the machine, and cams, operatively connected with said cam track and with said geared racks, respectively, for reciprocating said racks for oscillating said gear wheels and the spindle columns connected thereto back and forth about their vertical axes.

8. A cotton picking machine, comprising a rotatablevertical shaft, upper and lower supporting plates xed to said shaft, seven vertically positioned spindle columns pivotally mounted on vertical axes between said plates, and spaced around said shaft at regular intervals, rotatably mounted spindles carried by said spindle column, gears carried by the spindle column for rotating Y said spindles, means for rotating said shaft and said plates and spindle columns carried thereby in a 360 circular path, seven gear wheels connected respectively with the spindle columns, a geared rack operatively connected with each gear wheel, said gear wheels and racks being supported yby and movable with said upper plate, a xed cam track carried by the machine, and cams, operatively connected with said cam track and with said geared racks, respectively, for reciprocating said racks for oscillating said gear wheels and the spindle columns connected thereto back and forth about their vertical axes through'an angle of about l9. A cotton picking machine, comprising a rotatable vertical shaft, upper and lower supporting plates fixed to said shaft, a plurality of vertically positioned spindle columns pivotally mounted on vertical axes between said plates, and spaced around said shaft at regular intervals, rotatably mounted spindles carried by said spindle column, gears carried by the spindle column for rotating said spindles, means for rotating said shaft and said plates and spindle columns carried thereby in a 360 circular path, a gear wheel operatively connected with each spindle column, a geared rack operatively connected with each gear wheel, said gear wheels and racks being supported by and movable with said upper plate, a fixed cam track carried by the machine, cams, operatively connected with said cam track and with said geared racks, respectively, for reciprocating said racks for "oscillating said gear wheels and the spindle columns connected thereto back and forth about their vertical axes, a stripper column for each column of spindles, strippers journaled in said stripper column and longitudinally slidable on the spindles, a second fixed cam track carried by the machine, and cams, cooperating with said second fixed cam track and with said stripper column, for moving the stripper column and the strippers carried thereby, back and forth on said spindles.

10. A cotton picking machine, comprising'a rotatable vertical shaft, upper and lower supporting plates xed to said shaft, a plurality of vertically positioned spindle columns pivotally mounted on vertical axes between said plates, and spaced around said shaft at regular intervals, rotatably mounted spindles carried by said spindle column, gears carried by the spindle column for rotating said spindles, means for rotating said shaft and said plates and spindle columns carried thereby in a 360 circular path, a stripper column for each column of spindles, strippers journaled in the stripper columns and respectively slidable on the spindles in the cor- -responding spindle columns, a horizontal guide rod carried by each spindle column near the upper end thereof, a sleeve slidable on each of said guide rods, each sleeve being secured to the upper end of its corresponding stripper column, a xed cam track carried by the machine, and cams operatively connected to the cam track and the respective slidable sleeves, for moving the 

